MORELJiND LEADER.
OMR It SOHNOBUELEN, Pub.
IWORELAND,
OKLA
Women and Business.
Thousands of gins are sent out Into
ithe world with what is called finished
■educations, who cannot even give a
proper recipe for money, to say noth-
ing of drawing a promissory note, a
draft or a bill, or understanding the
significance and importance of busi-
ness contracts. Such a woman, writes
O S. Marden, in Success Magazine,
presented a check lor payment t« the
paying toiler of her bank. He passed
it b*ck to her with the request that
the be kind enough to Indorse it. The
lady wrote on the back of the check,
*1 have done buslnes with this bank
for many years, and I believe It to be
nil right. Mrs. James B. Brown." An-
other society woman In New York
presented a check for payment at the
bank, and the teller told her that it
was not signed. "Oh, do they have to
lie signed?" she responded. "What an
«wful lot of red tape there is about
the banking business." I know of a
lady whose husband made a deposit
lor her in a bank and gave her a
check book so that she could pay her
Mils without annoying him. One day
she received a notice from the bank
that her account was overdrawn. She
went to the bank and told the teller
that there must be a mistake about it,
because she still had a lot of checks
left In her book. She knew so little
*bout business that she thought that
the could keep drawing any amount
vntll the checks were all gone. This
eounds ridiculous and almost Incredi-
ble, yet the very girl who laughs at it
nay make even more absurd blunders.
Many an accomplished woman, when
given a pen and asked to sign an im-
portant document drawn up by an at-
torney or a long-headed business man,
will sign ft without reading it or even
asking to be Informed of its contents,
only to learn afterwards by disastrous
results that she has signed away her
pioperty and turned herself out of
home. Only a short time ago 1 read
of a lady who had won a suit involving
•cbout 520,000. New evidence, however,
was brought forward, which caused the
court immediately to reverse its decis-
ion. It was proved that the lady had
swofn falsely. She was perfectly inno-
cent of any such Intention, but she had
fcworn that she had never signed her
name to a certain document. The doc-
ument was produced, and, to her utter
astonishment, she saw her signature
affixed to it. She acknowledged at
onco that the signature was hers, al-
though she had just sworn that Bhe
had never signed the paper In ques-
tion. It appeared that, during her hus-
band's lifetime, whenever papers ware
signed, he told her where to write her
name, and she did as she was told,
without having the slightest idea ol
ine contents of thn papers.
Some Dogs Are Lucky.
A big touring car rolled up to the
entrance of a roadside "hotel" over In
Jersey one day lately with two men
cn the front seat and two women and
a beautiful cocker spaniel in the ton-
neau. One of the men ordered some
drinks for the party, and as they sat
jefieshing themselves, relates the New
York Press, the spaniel made It known
that he also was thirsty. "He wants
a drink." cooed one of the women.
"Well, how about it?" remarked the
man who was driving the machine to
the German waiter. "Valt a minute,"
llZT ©TFlNEV/YOfiK
she slept well upon the cot prepared
for Dora and herself in one of the
tents.
After an early breakfast they start
forward, as the day promises to be
a hot one, and they will want to rest
several hours—between twelve and
three. Animated nature Is seen
around them, plenty of gay plumaged
birds, some deer, and even a bear is
sighted across a barranca.
So they go along, making good prog-
ress all the while, and plunging deep-
er and deeper into the wilderness.
With nature so lovely and prospects
ny
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CHAPTER XVIII.—Continued.
He begins to experience a feeling
that up to this time has been foreign
to his nature—fear becomes a factor
In the game. What if this American
downs him before all these people-
will Barcelona, the pride of all Mex-
ico, the hero of a hundred victories
In the arena, ever dare to lift his
head in public again?
Dick does not desire to prolong the
affair beyond a reasonable time—he
has already done what he wishes with
the bullfighter—held him up to the
ridicule of the people. The oppor-
tunity presents itself, which he instant-
ly seizes—those who watch him see
him make a feint which dazzles Bar-
celona, who attempts to parry it, when
from quite another quarter comes a
thundering blow that strikes him on
the side of the head:
It Is a knockout, a quietus.
The Mexican king of the bull-ring
goes reeling back In a most undigni-
fied manner, finally falling in a heap | rao8t remarkable schemers
near the edge of the platform. He
moves not—Insensibility has doubt-
less resulted from the American's
blow.
"Gentlemen," cries the American.
In Spanish, "you see- victory has de-
clared for the lady. You are chival-
rous. you will wish her success in
dealing with these scoundrels who
would cheat her out of her birthright.
Ye j, you will escort us as a guard of
honor to the Hotel Iturbe, so that the
friends of yonder groaning bullfighter
may do no harm. Am I right?"
He has struck the popular fancy,
and is the idol of the hour—a shout
arises, and our friends find them- j
selves convoyed to the caravansary in
triumph by at least two-score of Mex-
icans. who cheer the American senor. j
the ladles, and Colonel Bob, until all ■
are safe under the friendly roof of j
the hotel, when the excitement dies
away.
CHAPTER XIX.
whole dreadful carnage. I heaiV. *he
story from his lips—he was a wtlte-
bearded man when he told It, but
could see him shuddei as if again he
saw In imagination every detail of the
awful massacre. Enough let us talk
of something more cheerful. ^011
know now why the Mexicans call it
the Death Valley."
Dick sees the ladles to their tent-
then he goes In quest of Colonel Bob,
whom he finds smoking a villainous
which he takes from
(COAK&GffT.Jl&J. by
and the like, roam about.
Dick had posted hl3 guards, and on
this night it is easy enough to man- h,ch he taKe8 rrom
Ipulate matters, since on one side of Mexican ciga &Qd exam.
their camp the trail runs along what  18 moutn *ltn e*e y. * . Rniicltous
„ really a she,, of rock, where one U  -0. . f
man can protect them from a surorise. even wnue it spta
The night pas.cs without a  alarm. ^ h„ comrade like a
and when morning comes Dick is U1CK , / ,0 tVlo frnItl
pleased to hear Miss Pauline declare N°e°w'M^,co heas gomethlng welghty on
his mind.
"Look here, Bob. you're up to your
old tricks."
"Eh?" exclaims the other, as Dick's
band comes down upon his shoulder.
"Not a bit, old man. I've just been
waiting until all was quiet and the
ladles had retired. I knew, as cer-
tain as two and two make four, that
you'd be after me for a consultation,
and then I meant to tell you what I
knew."
i "I understand," says the other,
quietly; "they will attack us to-night—
w brlgM wiih those they 'adore In Senor Lopez and hisgangof,dlsrepn-
thelr company sixteen hours out of table characters One thingiseer-
each day, Is it any wonder the two taln-the City of Mexico was never so
comrades are happy? ! clean as now- s n^e ® Desos
True, they never foiget that danger away every rascal whom a ^w pesos
hovers over them-that one of the or reals could bribe into a crime.
Is pitted "Yes, they're coming to-night—sev-
against them, and that even while eral things tell me so; among others
they sleep he is end-v.voring to weave the fact that just when we came to
his spider's web about them. this spot and all were busily engaged
Eternal vigilance Is the price of preparing for the night, I happened
safety, and they do not mean to be . to cast a glance backward, and at the
caught napping. point where the train passes up e
Thus three days pass-they have met j defile and over the mountain I had a
one mule train coming from the mine j glimpse of seveial mounted men.
laden with pure ingots of the precious I There was no question in my mind as
metal, for the El Dorado is now equip- | to their identity, for I was expecting
ped with crushing machinery, the | them.
most modern stamp mill, and all that | "Those words mean something,
the best mines of Colorado could ! Why do you believe we are to be at-
boast of. This train of pack mules ] tacked to-night?" pursues Dick, who
has a convoy of soldiers, who have I would make a good lawyer, he Is so
been actually hired >>y the owners of I quick to seize upon a point.
the mine to protect their treasures I "My Informant is Tampa Garcia,
On the Road to the Mine.
Dick is awakened on the following i
morning by the strange cry of a vege- |
table vender shouting his wares along
the street. It is early, but there is i
much to be done, so he hurries out j
and begins the labor of the day.
Miss Pauline has left everything in !
his charge, and when the caravan j
finally reaches a point of readiness, j
about half-past ten, It is as complete j
an affair as could well be Imagined, j
Every man is well mounted and i
armed, bronchos carry tents and
stores, and there are riding horses for
Miss Pauline and Dora, strong, gentle
beasts, capable of doing much work.
So they leave the city about an hour
before noon—a small crowd to see
them off, and quite a number cheer
the American senor who afforded
them such rare sport on the prevlotis
night.
About the same time another expe-
dition is getting ready in a hurry—
of course it is Lopez and his adher-
ents, also bound for El Dorado. Wrhat
was begun on the Alameda may yet
be concluded at the mine, for the
plotting Mexican has men there who
are under his thumb, and who will
obey his beck and rod.
Dick halts his caravan some miles
outside the city for dinner. They are
still in the beautiful valley of Los
| Remedios, though heading up in the
| direction of a gap which leads In the
I direction of the far-away mines.
I When dinner has been eaten, the
•"'Explodes with a Flash and Roar."
appeared behind the swinging doors
leading to the barroom. Presently he
•emerged carrying a tin drink shaker
filled with water. The cocker barked
his appreciation and scrambled up on
the seat nearest to the point where
the waiter was holding the tin vessel.
When the dog had finished di inking
one of the women opened her purse
«*nd handed the waiter a half dollar.
He made more out of that order than
!LU; employer had for the other drinks.
Not so bad to be a waiter sometimes.
replied that functionarv, and he dls- course Is resumed, and quite a nura-
ber of miles placed behind them ere
the sun, reaching the horizon ahead,
warns them that it is time to go into
camp.
Not a trace of civilization remains—
they are surrounded by what is per-
haps the grandest and wildest scen-
ery ou the whole American continent;
great masses tower above them, while
below is a defile hundreds of feet in
depth.
A camping place is near, and they
hasten to reach It; then the tents are
hastily thrown up, fires made, the
horses corraled, and all preparations
made for spending the first night out.
Dick studies his men. Some are
strangers to him, although probably-
recommended by ethers, and he de-
sires to know them as well as possi-
ble. so that In time of trouble tie will
be able to station ttem so as to get
the best work done.
All seems merry enough: provisions
Popular G. A. R. Charm.
Three veterans, hale and hearty de-
snite their thin hair and their white
beards, were lunching together "Do
.you see this?" said the first, and he
Iheld his watch charm—a ball of dull
metal set in a square of gold: "Do you
know what that is? This is the bullet
thev took from my left arm at Bull 1 are plenty, the fire cheerful, and more
than one man sings a popular son?,
picked up. it might be. on the great
Mississippi, the ocean, or some for-
eign land.
Later on some of the voyagers
sling hammocks; indeed most of
them dread sleeping on the ground in
this country, where snakes of a pois-
onous nature, tarantulas, centipedes.
i>'un." The second veteran displayed
lhin charm—a metal ball set in a gold
lo-oss. "This," said he, "is the bullet
•they took out of my leg at Gettysburg."
He sighed. "The bullet they took outf"
>li-- said, "but not the limp." The third
.\f.terau s charm was a bullet set in a
ring of brilliants. "Out of my head,"
,6i.iu he.
en route. Think of hiring out soldiers
for such a purpose!
"We are nearly there." says Dick,
when they make camn the third night,
"by noon to-morrow we will be at the
mine."
It happens that on this night their
camp is pitched in the valley. A
queer formation rises in the middle of
it, and upon this they have hit as the
place to rest. Tents are raised, fires
lighted as usual, some of the escort
fish in the stream with good success,
while others, who are hunters by na-
ture, wander off to see what game
they can scare up.
"I am told this is called the Valley
los Muertas—the Vale of Death—do
you know where It received the
name?" asks Pauline, after they have
had supper, and while they sit about
the fire, a cheery blaze that does
much to dispel the darkness.
Dick Denver frowns a trifle at Paul-
ine's question, and noticing the look
of surprise she gives him he laughs
lightly as he says:
"I had hoped you would not hear
the name mentioned—Huggins was In-
discreet to speak of it in your pres-
ence. As you suppose, there is a grue-
some story connected with this weird,
uncanny looking, gloomy vale.
Miss Westerly turns her eyes upon
Dick, nods a little, and smiles. That
is enough—although he does so under
protest, Dick is compelled to obey.
"Well, the truth of the matter 1s,
years ago, when the El Dorado was
in the Lopez family, and yielding
more than any mine ir Mexico at the
time, a party heading toward the capi-
tal with a relay of mules, laden with
the richest ore. almost pure metal,
was surprised in this valley by the
desperate bandits wkc abounded at
that time, and though they fought
bravely they perished."
"All?" gasps the interested Dora.
"Every living soul of that band,
save a boy who bad secreted himself
one of the two Mexicans we have In
our train. He is a first class plains-
man, but has been rather wild In his
day, so that Lopez believed he would
join them. Tampa tcok his money
and was In doubt what to do. The
songs of Miss Pauline have driven the
bad devil out of his heart—he says
she made him think of his earlier
days, of one who is with the angels
now. He threw the tenor's gold into
the river we passed yesterday, and
to-day resolved to confess all to me."
"This Is good luck," remarks Dick.
"So. you see, It was resolved before
we left the city to a'tack our camp In
Death Valley. Forewarned Is fore-
armed, and we'll see that the yellow
boys are warmly received. To-night
they will be taught a lesson never to
be forgotten—to-night old Mexico
will learn what Yankee guns, backed
by Yankee arms, can do."
Bob is not boasting—he means
every word he says, and the time will
soon come when the proof must be at
hand.
"You had an object In not telling
me before?"
"Yes—I didn't want to alarm the
ladies—perhaps it would have been
better, though, to have let them
know. You see where I put their tenl
—not a stray bullet can strike it."
"I admire your selection of the
ground, Bob—it couldn't be bettered.
But we have work to do—the men
must be warned, and our defenses im-
proved."
"That is so—we don't want to be
caught napping. Come, we will be at
It."
(To Be Continued.)
Trying to Be Just.
"I suppose you object to railway re
bates?"
"I dirnno as I do." answered Farm-
er Corntassel, "exceptin" when they're
only jest' another way of stlckin' up
the price on the fellers that haven't a
la the aase busies, ahd who ,aw the ; pulL"-W«shingtoa Star.
OKLAHOMA ITEMS*
On Murder Charges.
United States officers from Ada
lodged in the federal jail at Ardmore
Sam Melville, Indian, charged with
killing Noah Johnson at Ada, and a
yoimg man named D. A. Lansford,
charged with the murder of Ellis
Burns at Roff.
Guthrie's Masonic Temple.
Excavations have begun here for the
$40,000 addition to the Masonic
temple, to be completed by January
19. 1907, in time for the winter re-
union. The present Masonic temple
is one of the finest In the Southwest
and was constructed at a cost of $75,-
000.
Bells of Fairview Rang.
The news that statehood was a re-
ality was received and the town turn-
ed itself into a jollification meeting
at once. The big calliope whistle at
i the Orient shops let loose, the fire
bell rang and the anvils were kept
going as long as powder was left In
the town.
Guthrie to Greet McGuire.
At a nonpartisan mass meeting it
was decided to hold a monster state-
hood celebration and homecoming re-
ception for Delegate McGuire at Guth-
rie as soon as he is able to return
from Washington. All the citizens of
the new state will be invited to parti-
cipate.
Proved Unprofitable Mascot.
In a Snyder thirst parlor a seven-
foot bull snake is used as a mascot.
The first impression upon a customer
when he enters the saloon is that the
delirum has struck him, and it is sa'd
that the W. C. T. U. has received sev-
eral recruits from people who have
seen the mascot.
Few Cattle in Oklahoma.
The cattle business seems to be
rapidly on the wane in Oklahoma. Re-
turns from county assessors to the
office of the territorial auditor show
a steady decrease over last year In
the total number of live stock in the
various counties from which reports
have been received.
Ball Game Is Over.
The elements have settled the ques-
tion whether Chichasha will have any
more baseball this season. Just at
t..e time the fans were holding mass
meetlr.~s the ball park fence and
grand stand were blown to the four
winds. Later the lumber was col-
lected and turned over to creditors to
meet an old claim.
Getting Anxious to Serve.
From every section of Oklahoma
aspiring politicians, and some who
have never before taken an interest
In politics, are preparing to join in
a lively scramble for seats in the con-
stitutional "convention which will for-
mulate the basic lav for the new
state of Oklahoma.
Whipped Saloon Men.
Rev J. J. Thompson of Oklahoma
City, superintendent of the Anti-Sa-
loon League of Oklahoma and Indian
territory, and Arthur Boles and C. A.
Smith of Edmond, students for the
ministry, were arrested at Guthrie on
charges of assault and battery and
arranged before Police Judge Olsmith.
They were held under $50 bonds each,
which they gave. The complaints
were sworn out by Jim Williams,
John Hover and Henry Rltterbuscb,
local saloon men. with whom It Is
said the preachers had a rough and
tumble fight this week in front
of the county courthouse. Boles and
Smith have been used by the anti-
saloon league to visit saloons on Sun-
day and buy whisky in order to se-
cure evidence against violators of the
lid. The feeling among local saloon-
men is very bitter toward the three
preachers, and further trouble is an-
ticipated.
Thrown Into a Well.
Oscar Haldeman, a prominent
young farmer, was dragged from his
home near Vici, .Okla., by six men.
He was beaten into a pulp and taken
to an old well. Into which he was low-
ered to a depth of twenty feet. When
r scued several hours later by a neigh-
bor who had accidentally come to his
home he was nearly dead.
Constitution Comes Next.
The statehood bill which has passed
the house and senate i9 an enabling
act. It does not force statehood down
the throats of the people of the two
territories. It directs the people of
Oklahoma and Indian Territory to
vote for delegates to a constitutional
convention on the regular election
day next November. Thereafter the
constitution adopted by the conven-
tion must be submitted to the people
for their ratification. They have the
privilege of voting against it. There
! is, therefore, a complete referendum
I but It is to the people of the proposed
1 state as a whole. There is no chance
i for those in either one of the two ter-
| ritories to veto statehood but a raa-
| jority of all the people In the proposed
new state will govern.
y -